First Light 

Lucia Heffernan’s painting presents a striking zebra against a dark backdrop, inviting us to consider the relationship between form and meaning. The zebra is centrally positioned, its black and white stripes creating a mesmerizing pattern. The contrasting values against the dark background immediately draw the eye, evoking a sense of the animal emerging from the shadows. The composition emphasizes the zebra's physical presence, its body filling much of the canvas. This formal arrangement can be interpreted through the lens of structuralism. The stripes, as binary opposites, create a visual language that destabilizes fixed categories. Is the zebra black on white, or white on black? Heffernan's use of light and shadow further enhances the animal's form, giving it depth and volume. This interplay of light suggests a semiotic system, with light representing knowledge and shadow, the unknown. The zebra, caught in 'first light' may challenge fixed meanings as it embodies the fluidity of identity. The painting's title reinforces this interpretation, prompting us to consider how new perspectives can transform our understanding.